Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Will the Mariners Look at Lo Duca?
Paul Lo Duca will likely be a free agent this offseason.. Let's see how Lo Duca stacks up against the Mariners established free agent signing criteria: - veteran player in his early 30's: check
- popular player in clubhouse: check
- good character, fine human being: check
- had fluke career year in 2001 that he wlll probably never repeat: check
- batting average in high .200's, with little power, and hacks at pitches instead of taking walks: check
- offensive stats in declining status typical of players past 30: check
- previous positive history with Bavasi and Melvin: check
- does not come with long-term contractual commitment: check
The Mariners have also been interested in Kendall, and Lo Duca and Kendall seem comparable both offensively and defensively. Kendall is two years younger, but has a long term contract that the Mariners don't like. Since the Mariners season is pretty well shot, the Mariners have little to gain by trading for Kendall this year instead of waiting for Lo Duca to become available in the offseason.
I wouldn't be surprised if the 2005 Mariners feature a catching tandem of Lo Duca (2-year contract at about $4 million per year with team option) and Wilson (1-year contract at $2.5 million with team option).
BTW - the salary figures are what I think the Mariners would offer based on their past history, not what I think the players are actually worth.
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